As a young girl Tania de Jong always had a lot of balls in the air – whether putting on magic shows for her parents, scaling new heights as an aspiring singer or running her own tennis coaching clinics.

To succeed in business you have to provide a service or product people want to buy. Suzette Cassie had to find a way to combine both when she took on the job of launching international skincare brand Dermalogica in Australia in 1995.

Suzanne Francis cannot believe she has lasted this long. She has just celebrated 30 years in the business of selling “small pieces of indulgence and luxury” – handmade chocolates – from her tiny chocolate shop in Sydney.

Lauren Fried credits a fickle, impetuous moment early in her career for teaching her the greatest lesson. “Jumping ship to chase the money was a short-term approach and I now know it was never going to be a successful business model.”

Whether it be the practice of art, music or writing, creative people are always seeking inspiration for their next body of work, but artist Lisa Roet never once thought hers would come from an aorta transplant.

Success in business may be measured in many ways, and there can be few greater compliments than to be referred to by acronym. Patricia Powell-Hughes, or “PPH”, is the founder of what she believes is Australia’s first specialist media and entertainment industry recruitment business.